Collapsible pouring spout



July 19, 1938. P. w. GAUSS 2,124,385

' COLLAPSIBLE POURING SPOUT Filed Mail, 1957 FIG.3. F IG.4.

30 26 i as 17 24 18 H is Pmu W. G'Auss INVENTOR- ATTORNEY Patented July 19, 1938 COLLAPSIBLE POURING SPOUT' Philip W. Gauss, Port Arthur, Tex., assignor to; The Texas Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application May 1, 1937, Serial No. 140.086

3 Claims.

This invention relates to receptacles and more specifically to receptacles in the nature of metal cans which are provided with collapsible pouring spouts. F

Numerous fluid products'such, for example, as lubricating oil are marketed in metal containers which are provided with pouring spouts through which the contents of the cans are dispensed. Economical packaging of the cans in bulk for shipment to the points of distribution to the retail trade has quitegenerally dictated a policy of using relatively short spouts,-spouts which in use are not long enough to be entirely practical as, in the case of lubricating oil, where inaccessible points of lubrication cannot be readily reached with the short spouts.

To overcome this objectionto the use of short pouring spouts, and at'the same time to make possible the economical packaging of cans in bulk, the present invention contemplates and one of its objects is to provide cans having relatively long spouts which may be collapsed when the cans are packed for shipment or when the cans are not in actual use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a can having; a collapsible spout which is at all times positively attached to the can so that .it

cannot be lost or mislaid.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will more readily appear from .the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the top portion of a can with an attached pouring spout shown in solid lines in a collapsed'position and in broken lines in a pouring position;

Fig. .2 is a-sectional view taken on line 2-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the can with its spout in collapsed position; and V Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional'view taken on line 44 of Fig. 3. 7

Referring to the drawing; it will be seen that there is provided a can having a body portion l0 and a fiat top l2, the top being secured to the bodyv in any desired manner as, for example, by double seaming, as shown. The top i2 is provided with an opening I, preferably adjacent to one end or a side of the can, in which a hollow neck It is secured in any desired manner, the only requirement being that a tight joint be obtained to prevent the liquid from leaking from the can. The free or upper end of the neck [6 is externally threaded as clearly shown at I! in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, and intermediate its ends it is provided on opposite sides with outwardly projecting ears, or pins I8, I8 to which the spout assembly, presently to be described, is attached.

The spoutassemblyincludes an elongated and preferably tapered spout 20, the outer or smaller end of which is externally threaded as shown at 22. The other or larger end of the spout is formed to provide a relatively short section 24 of substantially. greater cross sectional area than the rest of thespout. This section 24 is internally threaded as clearly shown at 26 in Fig. 2. The enlarged end of the spout 20 is positioned and is free to move longitudinally within a housing 28 which has an opening 30 in its top through which the spout extends. The lower end of the housing 28 is provided on opposite sides with projecting members 32 which are each formed with longitudinal slots 34. Each of the pins "3 is adapted to be engaged in one of the slots 34 thereby permitting limited longitudinal and pivotal movement of the spout 20 and the neck It while at the same time positively securing the spout to the neck of the can. An internally threaded closure member or cap 36 is provided and it is adapted to be used interchangeably to close either the outer end of the spout 20 when the latter is in a pouring position or to close the neck l6 when the spout is in a collapsed position.

From the foregoing it is apparent that when a can equipped with a spout of the type described is filled and ready for packaging in bulk and shipment to the trade, the spout 20 is preferably disposed in the collapsed position which is parallel to the plane of the can top l2. The spout is held securely in this position by the closure cap 36 when the latter is screwed onto the threaded end of the neck l6. When one of the cans so assembled reaches the ultimate user the cap 36 is removed from the neck I6 and the spout assembly is raised sufl'lciently to enable the spout to be turned to a perpendicular position with respect to the plane of the top l2. In this position the internal threads 26 in the lower end of the spout can engage the external threads I"! on the upper end of the neck l6. As the spout 20 is free to turn in the housing 28 the spout can be screwed down onto the neck l6 enough to provide a tight connection, and in this position the can is ready for use. By reason of the tapered form of the spout 20 and the fact that it is relatively wide at its lower end, the spout is free to move within the housing 28 but at the same time the spout is securely retained by the housing and cannot be lost or mislaid. After using, the cap 36 may be screwed onto the outer threaded end of the spout 2D to close the spout.

Obviously, many modifications and variations may be made in the invention herein set forth without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim: a

1. In combination with a container having a neck, outwardly projecting pins disposed on opposite sides of said neck, a housing formed with oppositely disposed longitudinal slots each adapted. to accommodate one of said pins to permit longitudinal andvertic'a-l; movement of the housing with respect to the plane of the end of the container, and a spout slidably mounted in said housing and adaptedxwhen it and the housing are in a position perpendicular to the end of the container to engage the end of said neck in a liquid tight connection.

.2, In combination witha. container having a neck threaded at one end, outwardly projecting pins disposed on opposite sides of'said neck, a housing formed with oppositely disposed longitudinal slots each adapted to accommodate one of said pins to permit longitudinal and vertical movement of the housing with respect to the 'open at its ends and provided at one end with oppositely disposed projecting members each of which is formed with a longitudinal slot adapted to accommodate one of said pins, a spout mounted in said housing and extending through one endthereof, said spout being threaded at one end and capable of longitudinal movement within the housing for engagement with said neck, and a closure member adapted to be used interchangeably to close the'end of the spout when the latter is engaged with said neck and to close said neck and hold said housing and spout in position when the latter lie parallel to the plane of the end ofthe container.

PHILIP W. GAUSS. 

